Toys are play objects used primarily by children. Natural objects, such as sticks, fir cones, seed pods, bones, and smooth round stones, may well have been the first toys. Dolls, balls, spin-tops, and pull-toys made of a wide variety of materials are the fundamental toys of nearly every culture. The animal was an early and fundamental toy shape. Although some of the animal figures found at ancient sites may have been used as ornaments or as miniature representations of objects intended to accompany the dead into the afterlife, a few animal shapes have been found that seem to have been intended for use only in play. Wheeled pull- or push- toys carved in the shapes of animals in white limestone came from Persia of the 12th century B.C., for example. Clues to the nature of many old toys have been found on ancient paintings, which often depict hobbyhorses, carts, tops, balls, and musical instruments.
Various U.S. patents have been directed toward stuffed animal toys. U.S. Pat. No. 3,748,779, issued on Jul. 31, 1973, to Cherk et al. describes a soft manipulatable figure toy in the form of a fish. This toy comprises a flexible cover, or body material, defining an animal form and including a fluent particulate partial filler of a non-toxic edible cereal grain. In particular, this stuffed animal, in the form of a fanciful whale, has a cover made of a soft flexible cover, such as a textile web. In particular, the inventors found that a corduroy type fabric was found to be particularly suitable in providing the proper tactile properties. The mouth of the whale described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,748,779 does not open, or cooperate, in any way, with any other apparatus.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,822,285, issued on Apr. 18, 1989, describes an anatomically stuffed toy animal. This toy animal has an abdominal cavity which is covered by a flap. The flap is normally secured in a closed position through the use of a zipper or by VELCRO (TM) fasteners. Stuffed fabric internal organs are removably received in the abdominal cavity. The stuffed organs are retained in anatomically correct positions through the use of cooperating VELCRO (TM) fasteners. The VELCRO (TM) fasteners are also provided on the exterior surface of the abdominal flap for displaying the various stuffed organs in anatomically correct relative positions for educational purposes. An additional hollow cavity is provided in the head of the stuffed toy animal and provided with an audio educational tape playing device.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a toy stuffed fish with a functional mouth area.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a home game in which a fish may be captured by tossing a lure.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a toy stuffed fish which is easy to manufacture, safe to use, and relatively inexpensive.
These and other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from a reading of the attached specification and appended claims.